Gods Arraignment of Hypocrites, Religious tract 1 · Chapter 2 · Part 3
III. Part. The explication of wickedmens conceits.
Thoughteſt] 1. 1. Conſent.It ſignifies to conſent vntounto a thing, and that is nothing els but the fitting of natures together, either in their cauſes, as like cauſes will hauehave like effects, and ſo on the contrarie, like effects like cauſes: or of ſubiects with their adiuncts, as this is a fit ſubiect for ſuch a qualitie, or this is a qualitie for ſuch a ſubiect. Let vsus then applie, thou thoughteſt, that is, conſentedſt: but alas how fitly doth Gods ſilence and their thoughts agree? fire and water, good and euill, may as well bee reconciled. In deede Gods ſilence, might hauehave wrought better effects in the mind of theſe wicked men, but they hauehave ſo hardned themſelues, Rom. 2.4.and brought impenitencie vponupon their hearts, that they are become ſubiects vnfit to be wrought vponupon; neither hauehave they that wiſdome, as to turne themſelues vntounto ſuch a ſubiect as Gods ſilence, to ponder ſeriouſly thereon: ſo that neither can it worke vponupon them, nor they vponupon it: and therefore what conſention betwixt God and their thoughts.
2. Acception, is to conforme; the fruit of agreement, 2. Conformiti…by a metanomie of the effect for the cauſe: for conformity is the effect of conſention: neither will this ſtand in any good ſenſe, thou conformedſt: for it is the only thing that God complaines of in this place, R…u. 2.21.that he did not conform himſelfe vntounto the large time that God gaue him to repent: for how can there be any peace, as long as the whoordomes of Iezabel are in ſuch multtiudes: peace is where men agree together, but where they are vp in armes, all is in an vproare, and the tumult is ſo great that they will bee brought vntounto no order. The men of Epheſus when they were troubled about their goddeſſe, made the whole citie full of confuſion, Act. 19.one crying one thing, another the cleane contrarie, all out of order: and the more part knewe not wherefore they were come together: the Towne Clarke, for all his wiſdome, can hardly bring them vntounto any conformitie: ſo as long as the tumult of ſinne diſturbs all within vsus, it is impoſſible that God ſhould hauehave audience, eſpecially when for his ſilence he would be heard of vsus. Let a ſonne of thunder cry at a doore, where all are fighting and quarrelling, and they will out-cry him: but if he ſhould ſtand ſilent at the doore, it were impoſſible that they ſhould heare him when they were at the beſt: therfore God may ſtand at the doore, and knocke by his ſilence as long as he will, and he ſhall neuer be heard: therefore thou thoughteſt, was no conformitie with Gods ſilence.
3. Signification is aſſimulation, 3. Aſſimulation.either to aſſimulate himſelfe vntounto the thing, or the thing vntounto himſelfe: if it had beene of himſelfe vntounto the thing, thē had his thought without all queſtion been lawfull and honeſt; but it is of the thing vntounto himſelfe, and therefore let the thing bee what it will, it muſt bee made to ſerue his turne. And this ſignification is very emphaticall, and ſeruing for our purpoſe, and is thus much in ſenſe; as if the Lord ſhould hauehave ſaid, As a wicked man thinks of me, ſo muſt I be indeed, he will frame mee according to his owne conceit, and not his conceit according to that which I would hauehave him thinke of me, and my ſilence toward him; and this is the firſt beginning of his thought: now aſſimulation is neuer without a conceiued image, Imagination.comming betwixt the two things that make themſelues like. Hence a fourth ſignification, to imagine; and that is a ſecond degree vntounto this thought: firſt, by turning Gods ſilence vntounto his owne will; he ſaw no great difference, but that there was proportion and ſimilitude enough: then in the ſecond place he imagined, that hee ſawe God well pleaſed with him. Reſolution.Now a third degree is to bee added, and that is from the imagination a direct reſolution; that I may thinke it, and acknowledge it for the truth.
The reaſon of the phraſe is this; becauſe when any thing approaches toward the minde of man, then the minde turnes it ſelfe vntounto it, ſees how it likes it, imagines what contentment may be drawne out of it, and then thinks on it: if the thing be good, and the mind frame it ſelfe according to the ſame, then the thought that riſeth from that thinking is good: If on the contrarie it be bad, and the mind will impreſſe his image, then the thought is bad: ſilence and merciemercy from God in this place were exceeding comfortable, they enter the mind of this wicked hypocrite, but they are not intertained in their owne name, neither will he part with ſo much as a cup of cold water for his ſake that ſent them, but he will bee refreſhed by them according to his owne liking. Amos 4 5.The people will bring ſacrifices, yea betimes in the morning, tythes after three yeers, a thankeſgiuing of leauen, free offerings, &c. but according to whoſe liking? euen their owne: and therefore God counts of it as to tranſgreſſe at Bethel, Eſa. 58.and multiply tranſgreſſions at Gilgal: Eſay 58. they fasted, puniſhed themſelues, but it was to ſeeke their own wills, and require all their owne debts; they care not to hauehave a good glaſſe to looke in, but they muſt needs breath in it; and therefore the inward corruption of the heart, ſends out ſuch ſmoakie fumes, that the true image is dimmed, and ſo they ſee nothing but themſelues.
The flowers that God ſent them all the time of his long ſilence, were exceeding ſweete; but the mind beeing corrupt in it ſelfe, and alſo in his breathing, infects, or rather driues backe the pleaſant ſmell; and ſo moſt truely ſents it ſelfe, yea takes the deeper poiſon, becauſe a ſweete flower poiſoned, is more louingly imbraced of the ſences, and ſo the poiſon doth creepe in with the pleaſant ſmell, and ſtrikes with the ſpirits preſently to the heart: ſo often they poiſon the good graces of Gods ſpirit, which willingly would be imbraced, but the poyſon creepes in too, into the ſoule, and ſtrikes all dead at the very heart: the glaſſe that is coloured, caſts about all the beames of the ſunne with the appearance of his colour; ſo the glaſſe of our mind beeing coloured, and deepe died withall impietie, makes eueryevery beame of Gods goodneſſe ſhine according to his owne minde; intus apparens prohibet alienum, was an old axiome of Ariſtotle, but well may it be brought into diuinitie: ſinne that onelyonly appeares within, hinders all grace and goodneſſe: for alas they come but as ſtrangers vntounto vsus, and therefore they find very meane intertainment. As Chriſt was dealt withall when hee came vntounto the inne, all inward roomes were taken vp, and onelyonly the ſtable is left for him: ſo doe we deale with his grace and merciemercy; all the cheife roomet in our ſoules, are taken vp with greater perſonages then Chriſt and his grace: there is either lord couetouſneſſe, or lord pride, or ambition, or pleaſure, or reuenge, &c. and therefore muſt Chriſt and his grace into the ſtable; for we will not hauehave theſe men to rule ouer vsus: and therefore if his grace will become our ſeruant, we will giuegive it entertainement, but to be Lord ouer vsus, is too much, we will not hauehave it take ſo much vponupon it: and for our ſeruice, we hauehave no other place for grace, but the ſtable; and therefore no maruell if all goodnes diſdaine once to come neere the houſes of theſe wicked men.
That this may the better appeare, conſider three kind of thoughts: the firſt is a direct thought, and thinkes it ſelfe: the ſecond an indirect thought, that thinkes firſt the thing, and then it ſelfe: the third is a corrupt thought, that thinks it ſelfe out of it ſelfe: the firſt is onelyonly proper vntounto God, that knows himſelfe firſt, and in himſelfe all things: God lookes not out of himſelfe to know any thing, for all things are in him: and therefore he knows himſelfe directly, the creatures indirectly: this thought is aboue the thoughts of men and Angels, Eſay 55 9.as far as heauen is higher then the earth.
The ſecond belongs to men and Angels in their beſt eſtate: for they muſt firſt thinke the thing, and then out of the thing themſelues: and this we call, a reflexed thought; as for example, a man lookes his naturall face in a glaſſe, he ſees firſt the image of his face, and then by that he knows the complexion of his reall face: ſo a man ſees Gods wiſdome in his creation, which beeing as a glaſſe, … ſcit ſ… ſ…e.caſts vponupon man the knowledge of himſelfe. So that man muſt looke himſelfe out of himſelfe: and to know himſelfe in himſelfe, is to labour to be like God.
The third thought, is of corruption, when a man will needs looke through his owne medium: now be that lookes through his owne corruption, can ſee nothing but corruption; as a man that lookes through a red glaſſe, ſees nothing but rednes: ſo he that will ſee himſelfe through himſelfe, can ſee nothing but himſelfe. And herein we ſee that corruption would become a God, deſires to know nothing but it ſelfe, and louelove nothing better then it ſelfe: And this is that thought which is to be conceiued in this place. Gods ſilence muſt be tempered according to his appetite; and their taſt is ſo daintie, that they can taſt nothing but that which they themſelues hauehave prepared; nothing is ſauorie which comes out of Gods kitchin, dreſſed by his owne cookes: but they will hauehave their own prouiſion, and ſo like vnskilfull dames, they put death into the pot: and when they are ſicke, they will phyſick themſelues, vntill they hauehave brought themſelues paſt all cure: and then it ſhall be too late, to crie father Abraham, hauehave merciemercy vponupon vsus, we are grieuouſly tormented. And ſuppoſe God ſhould then yeild them a cuppe of cold water, it ſhould not refreſh them: for as vponupon earth, they counted the kingdome of grace and goodnes a hell vntounto them, ſo queſtionleſſe if God ſhould let them feele the leaſt ioy in heauen, it would be a torment vntounto them. Their taſt is alwaies an aguiſh taſt, iuſtice and merciemercy can not relliſh with them, and therefore they ſwallowe downe all things vnſauourily. And this is the meaning, thou thoughteſt; that is, turned all to thine owne conceit.
Yet one thing more is to be added, to wit, that this is not the expreſſe thought of hypocrites; for they will ſoone reply, Lord, when thought we ſo of thee? Oh, be content, Iob 9 4. Amos. 4.13.God is wiſe in heart, and able to declare vntounto man what is his thought: the Lord is no falſe expoſitour, he iudgeth thy thoughts by thy practiſe: in tantum ſcimus, in quantum operamur; for if thou didſt not thinke thus much, thou wouldſt neuer hauehave practiſed it: Pſal. 139.17.if thou hadſt alwaies with Dauid, cryed, Lord, how deere are thy thoughts vntounto mee, how great is the ſumme of them, indeede I cannot count them: but when I awake, I am ſtill with thee: then aſſuredly God would neuer hauehave cenſured thee ſo deepely: but alas, thou art aſleepe, and thou dreameſt all is well; but when the Lord ſhall awake thy conſcience, and ſet thy ſinnes before it, then ſhalt thou cry, Iuſt and righteous art thou, O Lord, but I am ſinfull: therefore thine own mouth ſhall condemne thee, and thy life ſhall teſtifie ſufficiently what thou thinkeſt.
Like thee] A ſtrange wonder: when all the nations of the world in reſpect of God are nothing: ſay they were counted as a drop of a bucket, which is but a ſmall thing to all the water contained therin, yet let thē come with God vponupon the balance, & this drop of water ſhall be turned into the duſt of the earth; and if he take away the very Iſles as a little duſt, what ſhall become of this droppe of water, when it is ſpilt vponupon the earth? ſhall it not be counted leſſe then nothing, euen vanitie it ſelfe? how then ſhould we heare this voice of an hypocrite, God is like me? If reaſon will excuſe him, we will plead for him.Beeing in any creature is li…er God which i… the firſt beeing, then that which is no beeing.
Firſt therefore, eueryevery creature of God, may ſay he is like God, becauſe he hath beeing: therefore liker God, that is beeing, then that which is no beeing. For God that is the firſt beeing, will acknowledge the reſt as from himſelfe; for the firſt beeing muſt needes giuegive all beeings: therfore the graſſe in the field prooues his creator, and his creator approoues of him: for the cauſe and the effect doe well agree: but alas, God neuer made an hypocrit, for he is the worke of his owne hands: therefore we dare not do ſo much for him, as for the leaſt ſpire of graſſe that groweth out of the earth.
Againe, 2 Man Gods image by creation.man is the image of God, and therefore very like God, not for beeing, but holines and righteouſnes of beeing: but alas, when I looke vponupon man, and aske whoſe image and ſuperſcription doth he beare? and finde that it is Adams, then needes muſt I ſay, giuegive vntounto Adam, that which is Adams, but vntounto God that which is Gods. Now I find no ſtampe in an hypocrite, but the ſtampe of Adam; and though he hath couered himſelfe with figge leaues, yet God hath found him out; therefore I dare not in charitie couer him. Wherfore I enter a third conſideration, 3. of redemption.for louelove would couer a multitude of ſinnes: and find the Lord ſaying in the Scriptures, be ye holy as I am holy. If any thing will ſerue the turne, here is matter to iuſtifie him: for who is able with the hypocrite, to thanke God, that he is not as other men, an extortioner, vniuſt, an adulterer; but a faſter twice a weeke, a giuer of almes, euen the tythe of all he poſſeſſeth. Who dare now ſpeake againſt him? if the Lord had bin ſilent, I ſhould hauehave bin amazed once to hauehave opened my mouth in diſlike of him: but he is no Saint, for all this gliſtering ſhew: he is not purged from his ſinne, ſtill is he in the gall of bitternes, and the bond of iniquitie: and yet the thought of his heart is not forgiuen him: therefore his prayer of thankſgiuing is an abomination vntounto the Lord; for as yet he hath made no petition for the remiſſion of his ſinne, as yet he hath not learned the firſt ſteppe to Chriſtianitie: therefore now I will ſhew what we are to thinke of him.
He may make all the world to admire at him in this place, for ſtrange impudencie, and horrible blaſphemie againſt God: for in theſe two words [like thee] is a gradation of three ſteppes, eueryevery one riſing a ſteppe aboue an other. Firſt, to compare God with him in any ſimilitude of qualitie is ſinnefull, In qualitie.becauſe he hath no qualitie that anſwereth any thing in God: but it were well, if he would hauehave reſted in the qualitie: for things like, are alſo diſlike: In eſſence.but the originall in this place telleth vsus plainly, that he paſſeth all the bounds of logicall compariſon, and extends it to the very beeing of God: for ſo the words are to be expounded out of the Originall, In beeing, to be like: that is, according to our Engliſh phraſe, altogether like thee: ſtrange impudencie, and voide of very reaſon it ſelfe, to make things compared as like, any further to argue then their qualities: but wickednes in the boſome of fooles is reſtles: for he riſeth one degree higher, In immortality of beeing.and brings in an eternitie of beeing altogether like God: for the verbe is in the future tenſe, and ſignifieth thus much, not onelyonly in beeing to be, but alſo in beeing ſhall be: therefore wicked men promiſe vntounto themſelues an eternall fellowſhip with God.
Let vsus therefore conſider what things are here compared: Wicked mens innention is … of compariſons and that with the beſt.2. in what qualitie they are compared. 3. what truths or falſhoods they make. 4. what be the diſcourſes of wicked mens hearts: for all theſe are contained in this thought of a wicked man. For the firſt, the things compared, Tearmes: ſinne, ſilence, God, man.are God and his ſilence; a wicked man and his thoughts: the proportion ſtands thus; as wicked mens thoughts are, ſo ſhall Gods ſilence be, and conſequently as wicked men are, Qualitie from condition to ſubſtance, and ſo to eternitie.ſo ſhall God himſelfe be. The qualitie wherein they are compared, is threefold: 1. of condition, God muſt be like minded vntounto them: 2. of ſubſtance and beeing, for they frame Gods Image according to their owne image: 3. for the qualitie of time, God muſt be an euerlaſting Patron, and fauourer of all their cauſes.
For the third, what truths ſhall we expect out of this ſtrange inuention of wicked men? ſurely none that will agree with the nature of Truth: for they hauehave abuſed the truth, and God himſelfe, who is the author of truth: therefore three horrible falſhoods are contained in theſe words. Firſt, The falſhoods of wicked men: Gods thoughts as mans.that Gods thoughts are as mans thoughts, and Gods waies as mans waies, directly againſt the truth of God: Iſa. 55.8, 9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your waies my waies, ſaith the Lord: for as the heauens are higher then the earth, ſo are my waies higher then your waies, and my thoughts aboue your thoughts.
The ſecond falſhood that God is as man, 2. He makes God no better the a himſelfe.againſt that place, God is not as man that he ſhould lie, neither as the ſonne of man that he ſhould be deceiued: therefore may he well expoſtulate the matter with theſe hypocrites (worſe then idolaters, for they make themſelues the Idol, therefore deny all gods) as he doth with his people, Iſa. 40.18. To whome will ye liken me, or what ſimilitude will ye ſet vp vntounto me? (or rather ſet vp your ſelues cheeke by joule with me) know ye nothing? hauehave ye not heard it? hath it not beene told you from the beginning? hauehave ye not vnderſtood it by the foundation of the earth? how that I the Lord ſit vponupon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants are as graſſehoppers: how I ſtretch out the heauens as a curtaine, and spread them as a tent to dwell in? O hypocrites, are you better then Princes, and Iudges of the world? ſee, I pray you, how I bring Princes to nothing, and make the Iudges of the earth as vanitie; as though they were not planted, as though they were not ſowne, as though their ſtocke tooke no roote in the earth: for I did but blow vponupon them, and they withered, and the whirlewind hath taken them away as ſtubble: therefore I counſell you lift vp your eyes on high, and behold who hath created all things, and bringeth out their armies by number, and calleth them all by their names: by the greatnes of my power and mightie ſtrength nothing faileth: Why ſaieſt thou then (O wicked man,) and ſpeakeſt (O hypocrite) the Lord is as man, and the mightie God of heauen, as the ſilly worme that crawleth vponupon the earth?
Thirdly, 3. God ſhall dwell with him for euer.that their eſtate ſhall be as vnchangeable as God himſelfe, for they ſay God ſhall be with them for euer: wherfore let them heare the word of the Lord that ſay thus in their hearts, Wee hauehave made a Couenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement, though a ſcourge runne ouer, and paſſe thorough, it ſhall not come at vsus; for we hauehave made falſhood our refuge, and vnderunder vanitie are we hidde: therefore thus ſaith the Lord, Iudgment will I lay to the rule, and righteouſneſſe to the ballance, and the haile ſhall ſweep away thy vaine confidence, and the waters ſhall ouerflow thy ſecret place, and your couenant with death ſhal be diſanulled, and your agreement with hell ſhall not ſtand, when a ſcourge ſhall runne ouer and paſſe through, then ſhal ye be trode downe by it: thus will I make your bed ſtraight, that it cannot ſuffice for your reſt in my wrath: and your couerings ſo narrowe, that you cannot wrap your ſelues from my rods. Go too then, O hypocrite, thou ſaideſt, I ſhall be a Lady for euer, like the Lord of heauen, whoſe dayes hauehave no ende; I am, Re… 18.7and none elſe, I ſhall not ſit as a widow, neither ſhall knowe the loſſe of children: therefore heare thou that art giuen to pleaſures, & dwelleſt careleſſe, that doeſt not ſet thy mind to righteouſnes, neither doeſt remember the latter end of thy ſinne, how that theſe two things ſhal come to the ſuddenly, the loſſe of children, and widowhood; they ſhall come vponupon thee in their perfection: for thou haſt truſted in wickedneſſe, and haſt ſaid, none ſeeth me…: thy wiſedome and thy knowledge hauehave cauſed thee to rebell; therefore ſhall euill come vponupon thee, and thou ſhalt not knowe the morning thereof; deſtruction ſhall fall vponupon thee, which thou ſhalt not be able to put away: And this ſhall bee the ende of all them that falſifie the truth of God.
The fourth thing, is the diſcourſe of wicked men, Wicken mens diſcourſes.that riſeth out of theſe apparant truths: Firſt, I ſinne, and God is ſilent; therefore he either ſeeth not, or if he ſee, yet hee regards not my ſinne; or if he regard my ſinne, yet his ſilence makes mee truſt that he conſents with me; or if he doe not conſent, Quitacet conſentire videtur;yet he will ſpare mee for a time; or howſoeuer, I will hold mine own concluſions, whatſoeuer the Lord ſhall doe vntounto me.